Subependymoma

Title

Other Names:

Subependymal astrocytoma (formerly)

Categories:

Nervous System Diseases; Rare Cancers

Summary Summary

Subependymomas are slow-growing brain tumors that are usually benign. They are most often found in the fourth or lateral ventricles in the brain, but may occur in the spine.^[1]^[2] Symptoms depend on the tumor location.^[3] Some people do not have symptoms, while others may have headaches, changes in vision, and/or difficulty with balance.^[2] These symptoms are thought to be due to obstruction of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) due to the tumor's location.^[2] Most subependymomas are benign with a low recurrence rate. However, a few progress to anaplastic ependymoma (a faster growing tumor).^[3] The cause of subependymomas is not well understood. Surgery to remove the tumor is often curative.^[2]

Last updated: 4/5/2017

Symptoms Symptoms

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
100% of people have these symptoms
Ependymoma		0002888
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal cell morphology		0025461
Migraine	Intermittent migraine headaches Migraine headache Migraine headaches [ more ]	0002076
Pain		0012531
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Distal muscle weakness	Weakness of outermost muscles	0002460
Dysesthesia		0012534
Gait disturbance	Abnormal gait Abnormal walk Impaired gait [ more ]	0001288
Seizures	Seizure	0001250
Spinal cord tumor	Tumor of the spinal cord	0010302
Supratentorial neoplasm		0030693
Vomiting	Throwing up	0002013
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Neoplasm of the breast	Breast tumor Tumours of the breast [ more ]	0100013
Neoplasm of the liver	Liver cancer Liver tumor [ more ]	0002896
Neoplasm of the lung	Lung tumor	0100526
Ovarian neoplasm	Ovarian tumor	0100615
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Astrocytoma		0009592
Autosomal dominant inheritance		0000006
Glioblastoma multiforme		0012174
Somatic mutation		0001428

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Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.

Last updated: 1/1/2020

Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Inheritance Inheritance

In the vast majority of cases, subependymomas develop sporadically; this means that they usually are not inherited and occur in people with no family history of brain tumors. A few familial cases have been reported.^[4]^[5] However, to our knowledge, specific genes known to cause subependymomas have not been identified.

Last updated: 4/5/2017

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from Genetics Home Reference.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Subependymoma. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

American Brain Tumor Association
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 550
Chicago, IL 60631
Toll-free: 1-800-886-2282
Telephone: +1-773-577-8750
Fax: +1-773-577-8738
E-mail: info@abta.org
Website: https://www.abta.org/
Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network (CERN Foundation)
P.O. Box 217
Zionsville, IN 46077
Telephone: (844) 237-6674
E-mail: administrator@cern-foundation.org
Website: https://cern-foundation.org
International Brain Tumour Alliance
10 Carrodus Street,
Fraser, ACT, 2615
Australia
E-mail: chair@theibta.org
Website: http://www.theibta.org/
National Brain Tumor Society
55 Chapel St., Suite 200
Newton, MA 02458
Telephone: +1-617-924-9997
Fax: +1-617-924 -9998
E-mail: http://braintumor.org/our-mission/contact-us/
Website: http://braintumor.org/

Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Subependymoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References

Kieran MW. Ependymoma. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate; December, 2016;
Jain A, Amin AG, Jain P, Burger P, Jallo GI, Lim M, Bettegowda C. Subependymoma: clinical features and surgical outcomes. Neurol Res. September, 2012; 34(7):677-684.
Bi Z, Ren X, Zhang J, Jia W. Clinical, radiological, and pathological features in 43 cases of intracranial subependymoma. J Neurosurg. January, 2015; 122(1):49-60. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25361493.
Kurian KM, Jones DT, Marsden F, Openshaw SW, Pearson DM, Ichimura K, Collins VP. Genome-wide analysis of subependymomas shows underlying chromosomal copy number changes involving chromosomes 6, 7, 8 and 14 in a proportion of cases. Brain Pathol. October, 2008; 18(4):469-473.
Converse PJ. GLIOMA SUSCEPTIBILITY 1; GLM1. OMIM. March, 2017; http://omim.org/entry/137800.